New member with new ball (pastel)

[hankfan79]

This is my second thread topic ever. I am still getting used to keeping a ball python.

I just bought a Pastel ball yesterday from the local Petco. It was $150. They received it the day prior. He weighs only 62 grams. I tried to feed it a f/t fuzzy mouse but it WAS NOT into it. I seemed very scared of it. He is extremely head shy. I also notice that he does not wrap around my hand very well. Sort of seem lazy or whatnot. BUT..he does move around a lot when I have him on my arm/hand. He slept in is enclosure but not in one of the hides.

I bought a bigger ball (normal) about 2 weeks prior and it is doing great. Just shed. Eats regulary..including 2 adult f/t mice today. I hope I didn't over feed him. He is much more active than my younger/smaller one. I hope I didn't buy a dud.

Am I being paranoid or is this behavior normal for new/small balls?

[Crazymonkee]

Considering how many moves this poor little one just had... I would give him at least a week to settle in before you try to feed. He is probably very stressed. I also wouldn't handle him until he's settled and has eaten

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[JMinILM]

Welcome to ball python ownership and the forum.
Just leave him alone for a little while to get settled in.

[Shera]

Welcome I got my first normal about a month ago and I'm also ready for a second LOL. I already have the terrarium, and I'm waiting to find just the right one (I'm hoping to pick up a baby female butter, lesser, or maybe a mojave). I would give your new baby a bit of time before becoming worried. Just make sure you have temps and humidity right, and he should settle in fine. Good luck

[hankfan79]

Family:
0.1 Wife
3.1 Kids

That is probably the best signature line I have seen yet!

Thanks for the welcome! I am still very green in the ball python world. I have been online for weeks trying to figure out if I want to start a rack system or show off my snakes with cages. Decisions..decisions.

[Shera]

Thanks for the welcome! I am still very green in the ball python world. I have been online for weeks trying to figure out if I want to start a rack system or show off my snakes with cages. Decisions..decisions.

I have been thinking about this too, but for now I'm set. I figure I will go with cages for now, and when/if I decide to do any breeding, I will probably build a rack then. I'm getting a female soon, and then I'm thinking I'll get a male in about a year (and maybe another female), and by the time he's reached sexual maturity my normal (who's a year old) maybe be ready to breed. Then possibly the next year my other female will be ready. This is the plan anyway, but I guess we'll see if I actually stick to it, and don't go crazy

[Neal]

Let your pastel settle in, and just a heads up that he may not take f/t right now or ever. Some can be really picky eaters. Hell, some won't even eat rats. Here are a few things you can try once you let him settle in though:

Make sure the food is properly thawed and heated, then you can try using a pair of tongs(or long tweezers) and pinch behind the shoulder blades and hold in front of his head. Some people have to walk the food across the tank/tub to mimic real movement. Others you can just hold by the tail and they'll take right off the tongs.

With your pastel being so young the feeding response most likely isn't there yet, so if that doesn't work then I would feed live pinky rats(if he'll eat rats) and do that for a while until he gets his feeding response up. Then you can try to make the jump to frozen thawed.